Flying Welshman seals victory over Boston

6 December, 2012

A diving header from flying Welshman Steve Davies sealed Gloucester City’s first league win over Boston United.\n\nAfter 18 days without a competitive game and several disrupted training sessions due to floods around Gloucester, City looked fresh and determined. By contrast, the visitors looked tired from a packed few weeks of fixtures and a lengthy journey from Lincolnshire.\n\nBut it was Boston who still dominated the first half, on a Whaddon Road pitch sparkling with frost. After Darren Edwards sent a shot towards goal in the first minute City were forced to sit back and soak up Boston’s attacks.\n\nWith young Jordan Goddard partnering Tom Webb in midfield and three at the back City looked exposed at times as Spencer Weir-Daley began to test the reactions of Matt Coupe and Chris Holland. But where Weir-Daley had looked like a serious goal threat in previous meetings between the two teams this time he caused no serious problems for keeper Mike Green.\n\nWhen City did break forward Edwards, playing alongside Will Morford struggled to find a way into the Boston box as the solid back line held firm.\n\nAs the temperature dropped the uninspiring play continued, with neither keeper getting their gloves dirty before the break.\n\nSeeing no way through the Boston defence with 3-5-2 City manager Dave Mehew shuffled the pack. Bringing off Holland, dropping Mike Green and Jack Harris back into a back four and bringing on fresh legs in the form of Steve Davies.\n\nDavies injected pace and the new formation gave City strength at the back. Slowly they began to eek out an advantage, keeping the ball on the deck and playing neat passing football.\n\nBut still they created few real chances in front of goal despite an industrious performance by Morford and Edwards, until Morford broke down the left on the hour mark, whipping in a looping cross to find Davies running between a pair of Boston defenders at the far post. The diminutive Welshman dived to head the ball past Haystead into the back of the net, breaking the deadlock in style.\n\nFor the final 30 minutes City grew in confidence, edging into the Boston box to look for a second goal. The visitors began to tire but keeper Green was still forced into a couple of saves before City saw out a satisfying win.\n\nGloucester City: Green; Green, Coupe, Hamblin, Harris; Holland (Davies 46) , Goddard, Webb, Mann; Edwards; Morford.\n\nSubs: Mustoe, Parker, Mace.\n\n\nBoston United: Haystead; Marshall, Stainfield, Jelleyman, Andrews; Fairclough (Silk 69) Milnes, Ross, Newsham; Jones (Reed 80) Weir-Daley.\nSubs: Sanders, Ward, Smith.\n\nAttendance: 187\n\nStar man: Will Morford\n\nReferee: M Pottage